Personal Data and Health: A POV on the Google Health Revamp

In September 2010, Google announced revamp to Google Health, a significant update that repositions the service with a broader health and fitness focus, including the ability to integrate data from multiple sources.

Luminary Labs offers this POV, addressing how the emphasis on data integration creates an opportunity for consumers, technology and health care.

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KEY OBSERVATIONS FOR TECH AND HEALTHCARE COMPANIES <ul><li>The new customer promise is integration. The new promise moves beyond health record storage, and toward health data integration. Seven percent of consumers are using some type of personal health record. Expect this number to grow with smartphone penetration and easy-to-use health applications and devices. The more personal data that consumers collect, the more likely it is that consumers will seek the lowest barrier means of integrating various data sources. </li></ul><ul><li>Google and Microsoft are pushing the envelope. Google Health and Microsoft Healthvault are going head-to-head to become the preferred point of data integration for consumers. Both Google and Microsoft will lean on their existing brand equity, which allows consumers to trust each giant to store and manage vast amounts of personal data. From a tech perspective, Google and Microsoft offer experience in devices, consumer-facing applications and cloud computing. Like all industries, we expect continued competition. </li></ul><ul><li>Consumer expectations to will follow. Companies such as Apple and Google frequently raise the online expectations of consumers by simply launching new features and functionality. Once consumers are able to integrate various health data points online, they will expect their physician, clinic, hospital, devices and even their drug makers to follow suit. </li></ul>

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DETAILED SUMMARY <ul><li>Google announced today a revamp to Google Health , a significant update that repositions the service with a broader health and fitness focus, including the ability to integrate data from multiple sources, including the popular fitbit device, the Wi-Fi-enabled scale from Withings, the CardioTrainer Android app and mobile PHR ZipHealth. The user interface has likewise been upgraded with an easier to use, more customizable dashboard of health and wellness information. </li></ul><ul><li> </li></ul><ul><li>At the same time, Google has not abandoned its earlier emphasis on the Personal Health Record (PHR) segment. It also announced new partnerships with Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, UPMC and Sharp Healthcare and added new pharmacy chains, including Hannaford and Food Lion. Absent, however, was any mention of new partnerships with pharma companies. </li></ul><ul><li> </li></ul><ul><li>The broader focus should give Google Health greater appeal , and possibly enhanced traction in the market, particularly if Google is able to a) partner with corporations interested in promoting wellness programs among their employees; b) incorporate more health monitoring devices; and c) market Google Health more aggressively and proactively in both the consumer and enterprise space. Gaining traction with enterprises is indeed a sizable “if,” as Google has been slow to achieve scale in the enterprise space for any of its services outside of its core advertising business. </li></ul><ul><li> </li></ul><ul><li>Bottom line: Google’s reset of Google Health gives the service greater appeal. However, with both consumers and corporations, Google needs to do a better job of communicating the value proposition. </li></ul>